Handcuffs



Aug. 9, 1960 A. J. HOWE 2,948,139

HANDCUFFS Filed April 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR W M United States Patent O 2,948,139 HANDCUFFS Alfred J. Howe, 1906 E. 27th St., Oakland, Calif.

Filed Apr. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 727,464

2 Claims. (CI. 70-16) This invention is an improvement over my Patents Numbers 2,516,878, issued August 1, 1950 and 2,772,553 issued December 4, 1956 in view of the absolute simplicity of the operating and control mechanism, and the interlocking of the folded retractile link and lock arm, and also in the protected release for the nipper cuff.

The objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide a handcuif which is releasably locked in an open position and which will automatically close and lock about the wrist of a person when projected against the wrist.

Second, to provide a handcuff which automatically locks in open position and which cannot be closed and locked except through depression ,of a trigger which causes the handcuif to close and lock automatically.

Third, to provide a handcuff as outlined which can be folded for compactness and for forming a gripper in which the folded members are interlocked to provide rigidity against any lateral movement or bending to provide a firm and rigid gripper for use.

Fourth, to provide a handcuif with the simplest possible arrangement of operating and control elements while maintaining positive and reliable action and control.

Fifth, to provide a handculf as outlined with a protected nipper cuff release to eliminate the possibility of damage to the release.

In describing the invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the invention with the cover plates removed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 with the spring and plunger removed.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the invention showing both cuffs in closed and locked position, a portion of the cover plate being broken away to disclose the nipper cuff locking pin and trigger position.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the retractile cuif in folded position showing the interlocking means for forming a rigid gripper.

The invention is of the simplest possible arrangement, retaining all of the advantages of and providing additional advantages not found in previous types of handcuffs; a handcuff of greater rigidity when folded, eliminating a number of parts without sacrificing their functions, providing more positive and stronger locking means, releasing means not accessible to damage, and consists of a retractible cuif with is integral with a conventional stock 11 and nipper cuif 12, the nipper cufi being of conventional construction and including a rigid arcuate member 13 and closure member 14 having ratchet teeth 15 which cooperate with a new type of ratchet 16 which is releasable through the medium of a recess providing a finger catch 17 which projects slightly from the side 18 of the housing and cover plate and includes a closure for the clearance above the pawl 16 as indicated at 19. This ratchet is pivoted at its inner end in spaced relation on the opposite side of the stock as related to the finger catch end as indicated at 20 and is urged to cooperate with the teeth in the link 14 by the spring 21 which encompasses the stem 22 of the plunger which projects through the upper end of the stock as indicated at 2 3, the spring being housed in the counterbore 24 and cooperating with the plunger head 25 which through the medium of the spring resiliently depresses the ratchet 16, permitting it to be released through lifting of.the catch 17 when the retractile cuff is retracted or open.

'The retractile cutf consists of a retractile link 26 which is receivable between the back wall and cover plate and having one end pivoted therebtween as indicated at 27, and has the locking link 28 pivoted thereto at 2 9, and

having ratchet teeth 30 formed in the top surface. Retaining means is provided in the form of a spring 31 which is housed in a bore 32 and cooperates with a plunger 33 which rides onto a flat 34 formed on the retractile link, the locking link having a coperative surface to limit the degree of opening so as-to assure proper registrable relation to the locking arm.

The retractile link 26 has its pivot end flatted on the under or back side as indicated at 35 to provide a sharp trigger edge, and has a tension spring 36 connected to the inner end, as through a link 37, with the connection indicated at 38, the spring underlying the retractile link and having its other end connected to the housing as indicated at 39.

The lock arm 40 is of conventional type with the exception of having the spanning guards 41 and 42 on the base and 43 and 44 on the cover plate to span and secure the folded locking link against lateral movement or bending, to provide a rigid grip and prevent damage through twisting or impact, to the locking link and lock arm, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, all previous types, when folded, lacking rigidity, and frequently becoming misaligned and inoperative since the terminal end of the ratchet link 30 lacks registry with the locking passage 45 of the lock arm, and which is overcome by these spanning members which hold the members securely against twist or impact. This lock arm is provided with a toothed pawl 46 which is spring urged as indicated at 47, this lock arm being pivoted between the base and the cover plate as indicated at 48, the base and lock arm having cooperative shoulders at 49 to limit projection to a degree conforming to registry between the slot 45 and the locking link 30. The retractile cuif is unlocked by a suitable key through the keyhole 50, the toothed pawl being pivoted adjacent its upper end at 51. To overcome the tendency of the usual spring used to be dis placed, a lever 52 is pivoted at one end in spaced relation to the lock arm pivot 48 as indicated at 53 and spring urged at its free end as indicated at 54 and c0- operates with a shoulder 55 formed on the lock arm pivot portion to maintain the arm in projected position with the shoulders 49 in engagement, thus limiting movement of the lock arm to registrable position of the passage 45 for the ratchet arm 30, the lever riding on the surface 56 when the lock arm is folded to the position indicated by the dotted figure indicated at 40 and frictionally retaining the arm in the folded position.

The trigger 57 replaces several of the parts used in previous types while accomplishing an improved result by eliminating the possibility of wear, slight displacement or not sufficiently accurate in form or machining. This trigger normally projects above the inner edges of the housing and cover as indicated at 58 for cooperation with the wrist of a person to be handcuffed, and is pivoted to the housing at 59 and terminates in a tip 60 which cooperates with the edge of the flat 35 formed on the underside of the pivot portion of the retracted retractile link to maintain the retractile link folded within the housing as shown in Fig. 1, the engagement at 60 and the angular relation of the. tip relative, to the pivot causing the tiP to swing out to free the retractile link when the trigger is depressed, with the spring 36 projecting the retractile link to swing the locking link into the lock arm passage 45 as shown in Fig. 4. When the retractile link is again retracted, the engaging tip 60 engages under the flat 35, and can only be released through depression of the trigger.

As is clearly indicated at 6 1, the rounded end of the retractile link engages the plunger 23 to positively lock the nipper cuff until the retractile or gripper cuff is unlocked and released and swung back to the folded or retracted position shown in Fig. 1.

I claim:

1. In a handcuff having a rigid stock supporting a nipper cuff at a first end of said stock, said nipper cuff including an integral, rigid arcuate extension having an arcuate rack member pivoted thereto, said rigid integral extension having means therein for receipt of the free end of said rack member, said means including a pawl for engaging said rack member, wherein a plunger is slidably mounted within said stock, said plunger having a first end operatively associated with said pawl whereby to provide means for engaging said pawl with the teeth of said rack member whereby to lock said rack member in a closed position, said plunger having a second end extending toward the opposite end of said stock, wherein said rigid stock supports a housing on the second end thereof, said housing supporting a retractile gripper cuff, said gripper cuff having a retractile link pivoted at one end of said link to said housing, said retractile link having a cam surface adjacent the pivoted end thereof contacting the second end of said plunger and urging said plunger toward the first end of said stock when the said retractile link is projected from said housing and passing out of contact with said plunger second end when the said retractile link is retracted, said retractile link having resilient means secured thereto and to said said stock for urging said retractile link into a projected position, said retractile link having an arcuate member pivoted to the free end thereof, and wherein a second arcuate member is pivoted to said housing opposite said retractile link and the said arcuate member pivoted thereto, said two arcuate members having means, at the free ends thereof for registering with one another and locking together, the improvements comprising: a trigger pivoted at one end thereof in said housing with the portion thereof on one side of the pivot point thereof being normally exposed above said housing and the portion on the opposite side of the said pivot point being recessed within said housing, the recessed end of said trigger terminating in a tip directly contacting said retractile link adjacent and beneath the cam surface thereof and locking the said retractile link in a retracted position when said trigger is in a normal position, said tip pivoting from beneath said retractile link and releasing said link when said trigger is depressed.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said arcuate member pivoted to said retractile link is an arcuate rack and wherein the second arcuate member pivoted to said housing is a lock arm having means therein for receiving and locking said rack, said lock arm having two spaced pair of ears on the inner side thereof, each of the ears of each of said pair being spaced sufficiently to extend on either side of said rack and to grip said rack when the rack is folded beneath said locking arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,856,427 Pratt May 3, 1932 1,890,748 Pratt Dec. 13, 1932 2,772,553 Howe Dec. 4, 1956 

